You all make a lot of good points. Very well done. This pace is beginning to warm up. Besides Point Given another Derby Favorite who was extremely close to a very hot pace was Snow Chief. And sure enough Ferdinand came from dead last.

A Rider may have to make a tactical call going into and around the 1st turn and straightening out down the backstretch that laying 3 off is to close (if this their preferred spot) and instead lets lay 5 or even 6 off. Not an easy thing to do in a 20 horse field. But that is what happened to those two above. They were 3 lengths off a blistering pace all the way down the backstretch and by the time things turned for home they were cooked too.

As I bring up Point Given I have begun thinking about Further Ado. Possible bounce and if they break fast for position then he could be wide and sucked into believing they are in a great spot 3 off a red hot pace.